Cork packing machine and the like



March 11, 1952' L. BOOTH 2,589,038

CORK PACKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 8. 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 v I N VEN TOR. LE 0N BOOTH March 11, 1952 L. BOOTH 2,589,038

CORK PACKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 8. 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 65 2 INVENTOR.

LEON BOOTH 7 March 11, 1952 L. BOOTH 7 2,589,038

CORK PACKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 8, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

LEON BOOTH March 11, 1952 1.. BOOTH 2,589,038 v CORK PACKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 8. 194? 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. o 'LEON BOOTH Q3- f,

March 11, 1952 BOOTH 8 CORK PACKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Nov.'8. 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 A l I 1 INVENTOR. LEON BOOTH March 11, 1952 L, BOOTH 2,589,038

CORK PACKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 8, 1947 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 6 l I A I I A K x I i 72 l I 64 634% I I 67 INVENTOR.

- LEON BOOTH A V j 7 y .7

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CORK PACKING MACHINE AND THE LIKE Leon Booth, New York, N. Y. Application November 8, 1947, Serial No. 784,859

. '1 This invention .relates to improvements in machines for packing ground or comminuted material, such as cork, mixed with a suitable binder, into rods or sticks, ordinarily termed corkrods; the material being packed in hollow tubes prior to being processed and baked. Round cork discs provided as packings in metal caps for the closure of receptacles, such as bottles or cans, consist each of a thin layer of ground cork which has been sliced in. predetermined thickness from such cork rods. I a

An object of this invention is to provide a cork rod packing machine simple in construction, eflicientand practical in operation and which will operate with a minimum amount of waste. A further object of this invention is to fill the tubes gradually by placing a series of said tubes on a, conveyor system adapted to move intermittently and having a multiple of ram rods moving in unison engage the tubes, novel mea being provided for filling the tubes.

Another object of this invention is to employ a mechanism which will feed the cork into the tubes without waste and. with the greatest efiiciency.

Still another object resides in the mechanism used in controlling the amount of feed with each complete cycle of the machine.

A'still further object of this invention is the elimination of jamming or freezing of the feed mechanism due to the entrance of cork between the faces of the split cork feed mechanism.

-A still further object is to provide a durable machine which can be made easily and which can be operated simply.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent in the more detailed description which follows, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing diagrammatic representations and illustrating a preferred embodiment by which the invention may be realized and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective front view of the entire machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical rear view of conveyor system', showing a series of. tubes being engaged by the ram rods or plungers.

Fig.3 is'a plan view of the conveyor system.

Fig. A is a vertical end view of the ratchet mechanism attached to the bottom of machine table, to actuate the travel of the conveyor system.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the ratchet arrangement used in the machine to insure the necessary timing used in the operation. 1

16 Claims. (01. 18-5) Fig. 6 is a vertical view of a ram head by which the series of ram rods are securely held in position.

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the stationary section of the split feed mechanism.

'Fig. 8 is a perspective of the moving section of the split feed mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a perspective of an enlarged section of both the stationary and moving sections in the closed position.

Fig. 10 is a vertical view of the arm employed to actuate the moving section of the feed mechanism.

Fig. 11 i a perspective of the type of device" used in both the hopper, to insure constant and" anism and conveyor system when ram rods are in raised position; and tubes in free position.

Fig. 13 is a cros sectional view of the feed mechanism and conveyor system when the ram rods are engaging the cork filled tubes.

In Fig. 1 is shown the machine in its entirety where I5 is the table bed upon which the main framework is supported by heavy columns l6 and I1. Upon these columns rides ram head IS in which ram rods [9 are secured firmly by pins 96, as shown in Fig. 6. Brace 20serves to hold the columns securely in position and also as a support for hopper 2| which hangs from brace 20 by means of straps 22 and 23. These straps allow reasonable'fiexibility, thus permitting the necessary feed regulationiby means of knurled nut' H5, which rides upon a screw that passes through the stationary frame 25 and hopper 2|.

Under table [5 is situated a motor 25 which rotate's pulleys 21. The pulleys are connected via belt 28 to large pulley 29, which rides on shaft 30, the shaft being supported by brace 31a. attached to leg 31 and a similar brace on leg 38. Rotation is stepped down by means of gear 3| meshing with gear 32 onshaft 33. Shaft 33 is supported by braces 32a and 38a attached to legs 3'! and 38,

respectively. On the ends of shaft 33, two smaller gears 35 and 34 mesh with gears 35 and 31, respectively. On the circumference of gears 35 and 31 ride rods 39 and 40, respectively. Rod

39 isattached to gear 36 by means of pin 41 which .rotates in block 42' attachedto rod 39. Rod 40 blocks 43 and 4.4,. Two symmetrically opposite activating rods 39 and 40 are necessary to prevent cocking and provide smooth movement of the ram head I8 on columns I6 and IT.

The operation is so timed by means of cam mechanisms, that when ram rods I9 are about to engage the cork containing tubes 50, the conveyor table 5| rises and braces the tubes firmly between the split conveyor table 5| and the stationary half of the split feed mechanism. Table 5| is actuated by a series of eccentrics 52, 53 which ride on shaft 54 and in turn are connected to conveyor table 5| by rods 55 and 56 which pass through table I5.

A more detailed presentation of the conveyor system is seen in Fig. 3. The hollow cork. filled tubes are shown riding along the split conveyor table 5|. The table is split near its extremities 60 and 60a to provide a movable portion 03b (Figs. 12 and 13) to allow for the vertical movement of the tubes 50 as subsequently described. The table,. being well channeled, keeps the. tubes 50 from falling out of place. The tubes are carriedalong by means of a prong-like network 63 which is attached to the top of a chain. drive 64 which is suspended above the table top' by means of sprockets I2 and 13.

In order to have a smooth progression of the tubes along the conveyor table two chains are used in combination with a guide rail 5| secured to frame portion II. Fig. 2. Shafts 8'5 and 66 are supported in their vertical positions by brackets 61 and 88' at their lower portions near the table surface and at their upper portions by brackets 69' and '10 which are bolted to the frame portion II of the machine. On the table end" of shafts 65 and 68 are sprockets 12 and I3 upon which rides chain 64 with its pronged network 83. At the other extremity of shafts 65 and 66 are two more sprockets I4 and I5 which support chain 64a and the pronged network 63a. The prongs on both chains 64 and 6411 are aligned so that the corresponding prongs fit easily between the tubes 50 on the conveyor table.

Shaft 66 extends through table I5 and is connected to a ratchet arrangement which gives the necessary timing for the movement and rest periods which occur when the rods I withdraw and enter the tubes. To further insure perfect alinement before having the ram rods or plungers I9 enter tubes 50, a horizontal indexed bar I6 provided. with evenly spaced cylindrical pins TI is used in the alinement of the tubes 50 prior to engagement with plungers I9.

Bar I6 is eccentrically connected to vertical rod I8. Rod I8 is rotatably mounted in a hub fixed to frame II in a similar manner as rod 16a (Fig. 11) in hub 18b. Rotation of indexed bar I6 is realized by another eccentric which rides on shaft 54 of "Fig. 1, and which is secured to rod I8. This eccentric is not shown in the drawings but is similar to eccentrics 52, 53. As shown in Fig. 2, tubes 50 are in alined position. After the ram rods I9 leave the tubes the indexed bar IE rotates, thus withdrawing pins I? and permitting passage of the tubes 50 to their next station. Spring I9 attached at one end by means of pin 80 to rod I8 and to table I at its other end supplies the necessary tension when withdrawal of the aligning pins TI is required.

The operation of the ratchet arrangement located in the recess I5a provided at the bottom of table I5 (Fig. 2) can be understood by observing Fig. 4; shaft I80 which rotates by means of a chain drive 8| atached to shaft 54, as shown This is more apparent in i in Fig. 1, has cam 02 riding upon it. Cam 82 in rotating counter-clockwise displaces bar 83 horizontally to the left and then later displaces bar 84 horizontally to the right. Both bars 83 and 84 are joined to the main slide rod 85 which is permitted free movement under table |5, by means of hangers 86 and 81 attached to table bottom. Extending from slide rod 85 is arm 88 attached to pivoting arm 89 by means of pin 90. The other end of arm 89 is attached to the ratchet arm 9| which rotates shaft 60, which passes through the ratchet housing H. As shown in Fig. 5, the ratchet toothed member 92 is attached to the shaft 66 and rotates simultaneously therea with. Ratchet stop 93 attached to the top of ratchet arm 9| rotates about pin 94 as the member 92' rotates clockwise. Compression spring 95 keeps ratchet stop 93 in position. The pitch of the ratchet teeth is determined by the distance between two successive stations through which the tubes pass upon the conveyingsystem.

It is necessary to provide a uniform decrease in length of ram rods IQ, for tube 50 will be empty at the first station (requiring a long ram rod)' and almost completely full at the last station (requiring a short ram rod) as seen in Fig. 6. The split-feed mechanism comprises a stationary section |0| and a movable or displaceable section I05.

As seen in Fig'. 7, the stationary section IOI of the split-feed mechanism consists of'a series of semi-circular cutouts I00 milled in one large bar. Each semi-circular cut-out is so spaced as to receive its respective ram rod when the ram head comes down. Channels I02 are cut so .as to permit the movable section I05 of the splitfeed mechanism (as shown in Fig. 8) to enter. Each of the milled tongues I03. slides intoa corresponding groove I04 of section I05.

The movable section I05 isv slidably supported on stationary floor plate II I, which is attached tothe frame of the machine. Plate III has a plurality of spaced circular or cylindrical openings I|2 connecting with the tubes 50'during their period of rest. The portions of stationary section 'IOI' and movable section I05 having the cut-outs |00- and I05, respectively, are above plate III. I

On the face of the movable section I05 15 another series of cut-outs I06 corresponding to cut-outs I80 in bar IOI. However, in this case the cut-outs. I06 are not exactly semi-circular. Instead the walls I0'I move off at a tangent (as seen in Fig. 92; the walls of adjacent cut-outsforming wedge-shaped extremities I0'Ia. The reason for this wedge-shaped formation willv be explained hereinbelow.

Prior to the engagement of plungers or ram rods IS with tubes 50, sections IOI and I05 0f the split-feed mechanism engage, resulting in substantially circular or cylindrical guides or. passages formed by the meeting of cut-outs I00 and I06 through which the plungers I9 pass. A portion of their engagement is clearly seen. in Fig. 9.

Another function of the split-feed mechanism is that of a shovel or pusher. (as seen in. Fig. 12). The bottom of cork hopper 2| is disposrd over the top of movable section I05. As section I05 disengages or withdraws from its closed position with stationary section IOI, the loose cork |I0 from hopper 2|, falls to floor Plate III. Not only does plate III serve as a receiver of the falling cork, but, as heretofore stated, it also supports the movable. section I05. While section.

I05 is in open position, the ratchet device previously described starts to operate, thus rotating shaft 66 which displaces tubes 50, being aided by the pronged network 63 attached to the chain drive 64which rotates about shafts 65 and 66. The split table 5I at the same time is in its normal position, that is, the eccentrics 52, 53 which lift rods 55 and 56 and in turn the channelled portion 630: of the split table 5I are in their low position. As a result there exists a clearance between the plate II I and tubes 50, permitting the tubes 50 to move to the next station. During all this time, ram rods I9 have been withdrawn and are awaiting the following cycle, the beginning of which (with the tubes 56 already partly inside the corresponding openings H2) is shown in Fig. 12.

In Fig. 13 the tubes are now alined beneath the cut-outs I in section IllI and have risen to the top of the openings I I2 in plate I II, as the result of the upward movement of the channeled portion 63b of table 5|. In closing, the movable section or part I05 pushes all of the loose cork IID into the tubes 55 below. The tapered ends of walls ID! of cutouts I06 shove aside all cork which may otherwise be lodged between the meeting faces of sections IIlI and I05, thereby assuring the complete closing of the sections IUI and I65 at the time needed. In this way uniformity of the cork charges rammed into the tubes is controlled. thus facilitatin uniformity of the quantity of cork entering the tubes. The rise of channeled portion 63b, occurring simultaneously with the closing of the split feed mechanism, against the walls of openings I I2 and the underside of stationary section IBI prior to engagement with rods I9.

Regulation of feed is obtained by rotation of knurled knob II5 about screw H6. The knurled knob is attached to the stationary frame of the machine and the screw H6 is set rigidly into the side of hopper 2 I. Scale I I 1 is used to determine the amount of feed necessary and as a means of adjusting one side of the hopper with that of the other, for two regulation attachments are used, one on each end of the hopper.

In Fig. 10 is shown one of two arms used in motivating the moving section I65 of the split feed mechanism. Bracket I is attached to bottom I053 of section I65 of the split feed mechanism. Through bracket I26 with the aid of a series of nuts I2I, I22 and I23 and screw I24 at the end of link I25, rocker arm I26 is attached to section I 05. The rocking effect takes place as a result of the cam I2! riding on shaft 5 1. Cam I21 pushes arm I28 horizontally, thus pivoting the rocker arm about shaft I80 of Fig. 4. Spring I29 brings the rocker arm back to its normal position (tending to withdraw the split feed mechanism section I65 from the closed position). Spring I29 is attached to floor plate III (Fig. 12 and Fig. 13) by means of an extension arm I3I. One end of spring I29 is at tached to arm I3I by means of bolt I30 and the other end is attached to an extension of the rocker arm I32 by means of pin I33.

Fig. llshows in perspective a device which is employed for agitating the cork in the hopper 2i and insuring constant and the uniform feeding of the cork, this'device being similar to the assembly 'I68Il shown in Fig. 2 which serves for the proper spacing and alignment of the tubes 56. In the device employed for facilitating alirlement of the tubes 56 the parts are designated braces the tubes 55 by numerals only, whereas for the agitator the corresponding .parts are designated by the numerals followed by the letter a (see Fig. 11) In either case during each cycle of the machine, crank rod I8 or 18a rises, thereby rotating bar I6 or 16a, having the respective pins TI, 11a, a full ninety degrees. The movement is so timed as to coincide with that of the conveyor system.

The operation of the machine may be summarized as follows: Empty tubes 50 are inserted into the conveyor system 63, 64 from the rear of the machine; the empty tubes then travel around the sprocket 12 to the front of the apparatus in an intermittent movement until the first tube is in alignment with the first opening II2 of the plate II I. At this instant the portion 63b of the table 5I, extending between slits 60 and 60a, rises to cause this tube .50 to enter the said opening H2, as shown in Fig. 12, While the movable jaw I65 of the feed mechanism is retracted; when the tube has risen to the top, this jaw moves forward as shown in Fig. 13 and the corresponding rod I 9 rams the cork material down the tube. Subsequently the tube 50, having received its'filling, is lowered out of engagement with the plate I I I, whereupon the conveyor system advances this tube into alignment with the next opening II2 while another tube arrives underneath the first opening. At the same time the section I65 is again withdrawn to permit a new charge to drop from the hopper 2I upon the plate III, preparatory to the next filling operation. When each tube has been filled, it travels around the sprocket 13 to the rear of the machine where it can be removed.

From Figs. 12 and 13 it will also be seen that the movable section or jaw I 05 of the feedmechanism I HI, I II5 cooperates with the hopper 2I to determine the size of each charge; thus if the hopper is displaced toward the right in Fig. 12, the amount of material I III that can drop on the plate III while the jaw I05 is in its rightmost or extreme retracted position will be reduced, while a displacement of the hopper toward the left will increase this amount up to the maximum determined by the cross section of the bottom opening of the hopper. This displacement of the hopper is effected, in the manner stated, by the nut II5 which bears upon the frame portion 25, and 'by the similarly arranged companion nut I I5a (Fig. 1). It is thus seen that the presentinvention comprises a practical cork-packing machine, which will be safe, efficient, and reliable in use and operation. The device is well adapted to accomplish, among others, all of the objects and advantages herein set forth.

Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the'gist of the invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that from the standpoint of the prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention, and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following. claims.

I claim:

1. A machine of the class described comprising a vertically reciprocatable head, a plurality of plungers secured to said head, said plungers being of progressively varying lengths, a stationary hopper for containing particles of material, feeding mechanism, said mechanism comprising a stationary unit and a displaceable unit, each of said units having a plurality of recesses, the recesses of one unit being opposite the recesses of the other unit, respectively, whereby opposed recesses are adapted to form enclosed passages through which said plungers may project and through which said material may be fed, an intermittently movable tube carrier for disposing tubes below said passages and in successive alinement with said plungers, said tubes and said passages being respectively relatively communicable, said tubes bein adapted to receive said material from said passages, said plungers being adapted to enter said tubes, adjustable means for controlling the rate of feed of the amount of material in said hopper and being fed into said tubes, a plate below said stationary and displaceable units and formed with openings registering with said passages, and an intermittently vertically reciprocatable carrier table for moving tubes alined with said plungers upwardly into said openings to facilitate bracing of said tubes prior to their engagement with said plungers.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said displaceable unit is horizontally displaceable and is formed with cutters between the recesses thereof defining said passages adapted to prevent said material from accumulating between said stationary and displaceable units.

3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein said displaceable unit is horizontally displaceable, said machine including a shaker within said hopper, said shaker operating as an agitator to facilitate the flow of material from said hopper to said passages during rest periods of said tubes.

4. A machine according. to claim 1 wherein said displaceable unit is horizontally displaceable, said machine including agitator means within said hopper to facilitate the flow of said material from said hopper to said passages during rest periods of said tubes, and means for directing the passage of said tubes to successive stations occupied during said rest periods.

5. A machine of the class described comprising a vertically reciprocatable head, a plurality of plungers secured to said head, said plungers being of progressively varying lengths, a hopper for containing particles of material, feeding mechanism, said mechanism comprising a stationary section and a displaceable section, each of said sections having a plurality of cut-outs, the cut-outs of one section being opposite the cutouts of the other section, respectively, whereby opposed cut-outs are adapted to form enclosed passages through which said plungers may project and through which said material may be fed, an intermittently movable tube carrier for disposing tubes below said passages and in successive alinement with said plungers, said tubes and said passages being respectively relatively communicable, said tubes being adapted to receive said material from said hopper and, adjustable means for controlling the rate of feed of the amount of material in said hopper and being fed into said tubes, means for preventing material from accumulating within said passages, said means being formed by adjacent walls of adjacent cut-outs of said displaceable section, a plate below said stationary and displaceable sections formed with openings registering with said passages, and an intermittently vertically reciprocable carrier table for moving tubes alined with said plungers upwardly into said openings to ,facilitate support of the tubes prior to their engagement with said plungers.

6. A machine according to claim 5, wherein the walls of said passages are so designed as to permit free projection of said plungers, said lastmentioned means being wedge-shaped for permitting excessive particles of said material to be displaced during projection of said plungers in said passages.

7. A machine according to claim 5, wherein said displaceable unit is horizontally displaceable, and including means for producing said displacement, said latter means comprising a rocking arm mechanism, and an eccentric for operating said rocking arm mechanism.

8. A machine according to claim 5 wherein said adjustable means comprises a screw adjustment attached to the body of the machine and to said hopper, and a calibrated scale attached to said adjustment.

9. A machine according to claim 5, including an agitator within said hopper to facilitate the flow of material from said hopper to said passages latter means including an eccentric.

10. A machine according to claim 5, wherein said successive alinement is accomplished by means including a ratchet mechanism, a chain drive device having a plurality of spaced alined fingers, a rod having a plurality of projections and means for rotatively operating said rod whereby said projections intermittently are positioned between successive tubes on said carrier during rest periods of said tubes.

11. A machine according to claim 5, wherein said successive alinement is accomplished by means including a ratchet mechanism, a chain drive device, said device comprising dual chain drives rotatable about two axes, each axis being substantially at an extremity of said table, one of said chain drives being an overhead drive and the other of said drives being disposed just above said table, and means for moving said drives in unison, each of said drives having a plurality of spaced alined fingers, corresponding fingers of said drives being connected together whereby to assure uniform and easy movement of said tubes along said table.

12. A machine according to claim 5, wherein said successive alinement is accomplished by means including a ratchet mechanism, a chain drive device, said device comprising dual chain drives rotatable about two axes, each axis being substantially at an extremity of said table, one of said chain drives being an overhead drive and the other of said drives being disposed just above said table, means for moving said drives in unison, each of said drives having a plurality of spaced alined fingers, corresponding fingers of said drives being connected together whereby to assure uniform and easy movement of said tubes along said table, a rod having a plurality of projections, and means for rotatively operating said rod whereby said projections intermittently are positioned between successive tubes on said carrier during rest periods of said tubes.

13. In a machine for packing comminuted material into tubes, the combination, with a hopper for holding said material and a plunger adapted to ram the material into a tube aligned with said plunger, of feed mechanism comprising a stationary jaw and a horizontally movable jaw, each of said jaws being provided with a vertical recess, a horizontal plate underneath said hopper, drive means for displacing said movable jaw toward said stationary jaw, prior to the descent of said plunger, between said plate and said hopper, whereby material deposited by the hopper on said plate in the retracted position of the movable jaw is pushed toward the stationary jaw and is crowded into a, channel formed by said recesses, the position of said recesses on said jaws being such that said channel is aligned with and accommodates the plunger when the movable jaw has been fully displaced toward the stationary jaw, and adjusting means for varying the relative position between said hopper and said movable jaw, whereby the amount of material deposited on said plate in the retracted position of the movable jaw may be controlled, said plate being provided with an opening aligned with said plunger, a conveyor means for aligning a tube with said opening, and lifting means synchronized with said drive means in such manner as to introduce the top of the tube into the opening prior to the descent of the plunger, thereby bracing the tube at its top and in said plate.

14. The combination according to claim 13 wherein said stationary jaw partly overlies said opening, whereby the top of the tube abuts said stationary jaw when fully introduced into said opening.

15. In a machine for packing comminuted material into tubes, the combination, with a hopper for holding said material and a plunger adapted to ram the material into a tube aligned with said plunger, of feed mechanism comprising a pair of relatively movable jaws, each of said jaws being provided with a vertical recess, a horizontal plate underneath said hopper having an opening aligned with said plunger, drive means for horizontally displacing one of said jaws relative to the other and to said plate, prior to the descent of the plunger, between said plate and said hopper, whereby material deposited by the hopper on said plate in the retracted position of said one jaw is pushed toward the other jaw and is crowded into a channel formed by said recesses, the position of said recesses on said jaws being such that'said channel is aligned with said opening and accommodates the plunger when the two jaws have been brought into adjacent position, conveyor means for aligning a tube with said opening, and lifting means synchronized with said drive means in such manner as to introduce the top of the tube into the opening prior to the descent of the plunger, thereby bracing the tube against the wall of said opening.

16. The combination according to claim 15 wherein said other jaw is stationary and partly overlies said opening, whereby the top of the tube abuts said stationary jaw when fully introduced into said opening.

LEON BOOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,183,928 Binder Dec. 19, 1939 2,190,859 Binder Feb. 20, 1940 

